At least four people are believed to be trapped, and one person has died under rubble, after a hotel building partially collapsed in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate on Tuesday night, according to police.
On Wednesday morning, emergency workers announced that they had managed the “very difficult” task of rescuing four people from the rubble, including a 2-year-old child and its parents.
Pictures from the scene showed damage to the back of hotel “Reichsschenke Zum Ritter Götz,” with debris on the ground.
What we know so far
Rescue operations are still underway at the site of the incident in Kröv, a town on the Mosel River about 100 kilometers (60 miles) west of Frankfurt. Local residents notified police about the incident around 10:55 p.m. local time on Tuesday night.
“Several people were able to leave the building on their own and are being looked after by emergency services and counselors,” police said Wednesday morning.
Police said 14 people had been in the building when one story collapsed. Five were able to get out unhurt.
Authorities said they have been able to contact some of the trapped people, several of whom were seriously injured. The body of the person who died has not yet been recovered.
Police said in a statement that the rescue efforts are “very difficult,” as the building’s structure remains unstable. Some 250 emergency workers were on the scene.
Public broadcaster SWR said local fire brigade teams were initially not able to enter the building because of the risk that the structure could cave in fully.
Some 30 people in neighboring buildings were also evacuated given the risk of damage a complete collapse could inflict on its surroundings.
It is not yet clear what caused the building to collapse.
The Mosel region is popular summer tourist destination, with its picturesque vineyards and castles.
rm,es/wmr (AP, Reuters, dpa, AFP)